World Geography Latin America
Notes
Physical
Latin America
• Latin America spans
7,000 miles
• from U.S.-Mexico
border to Tierra del
Fuego
• part of North America,
all of Central and South
America, & Caribbean
Major Islands of the Caribbean
• Bahamas - Hundreds of
islands off southern Florida,
north of Cuba
• Nassau is largest city and
capital
• The Greater Antilles Larger islands in Caribbean:
Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola,
Puerto Rico
• Hispaniola divided between
Haiti, Dominican Republic
• The Lesser Antilles - Smaller
islands southeast of Puerto
Rico
Mountains
• Andes Mountainscalled the Rockies in
the United States,
Sierra Madre in
Mexico.
• World’s longest
mountain range
• The Andes mountain
range is the highest
mountain range
outside Asia. The
highest peak,
Aconcagua, rises to
22,840 ft.
Plains for Grain and Livestock
• Llanos—grassy, treeless
areas used for livestock
grazing, farming
- Loacted in Colombia and
Venezuela
Plains for Grain and Livestock
• Cerrado—flat savannas
with moderate rainfall,
good for farming
- Found in interior of
Brazilin mostly
undeveloped Amazon
River Basin
Plains for Grain and Livestock
• Pampas—areas of
grassland, rich soil, used
for cattle and wheat
• Located in Argentina
and Uruguay
• Home to gaucho culture
centered on horsemen
Rivers & Waterways
• Rio Grande - forms
border between U.S.
and Mexico
Rivers & Waterways
• Amazon River – Longest
river in the western
hemisphere
- flows 4,000 miles, from
west to east, to Atlantic
- branches start in Andes
- fed by over 1,000
tributaries
-carries more water than
next seven largest rivers
combined
Rivers & Waterways
• Panama Canal - cuts
through land bridge,
connects Atlantic,
Pacific
• canal traffic makes
Panama an important
crossroads of worldtrade
Lakes
• Lake Maracaibo –
regions largest lake
Angel Falls
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Located in Venezuela
Worlds largest waterfall (3,212 ft)
The base of the falls feeds into the Kerep River
Named after Jimmie Angel, a US pilot
The height of the fall is so great that before
getting anywhere near the ground, much of
the water is evaporated or carried away as a
fine mist by the strong wind.
Natural Resources of Latin America
• Region is rich with minerals, energy resources,
agriculture, forests
• Minerals- gold, silver, iron, copper, bauxite
(aluminum ore), lead, nickel
• South America is a world leader in mining, &
exporting raw materials
Natural Resources of Latin America
• Jamaica began bauxite
mining to reduce
dependency on agriculture,
tourism
• Oil, coal, natural gas,
uranium & hydroelectric
power are plentiful
Natural Resources of Latin America
• Brazil rich in
hydroelectric power oil,
& gas
• Venezuela & Mexico
have major oil deposits,
export oil to world
Climates
• Rain forests—dense
forests with different
species of trees (hot
and rainy all year)
• unique ecosystem—
community of plants,
animals living in balance
Climates
• Largest is Brazil’s Amazon
rain forest with 2 million
square miles
• 2,500 types of Amazon
trees
• animals include
anaconda, jaguar, piranha
• Savannas found in Brazil,
Colombia, Argentina (hot
with seasonal rain)
Climates
• Desert- Atacama Desert
located in north Chile
• Highlands - Varies from
moderate to cold due to
elevation, wind, sun, &
landscape
-found in mountains of
Mexico and South
America
Agriculture Reshapes the
Environment
• Slash-and-burn - cut
trees, brush, grass; burn
debris to clear fields
- used by native peoples
and today by poor
farmers in Amazon basin
- they move to new area
when soil is exhausted
- one reason for shrinking
rain forests
Agriculture Reshapes the
Environment
• Terraced farming - steplike farm fields cut into
mountains, hillsides
• lets crops grow on steep
land, cuts down on soil
erosion
• used by Incas in Peru,
Aztecs in Mexico
Based on climate and physical features, what do you
think are the most populated and least populated
areas in Latin America?
Review Questions
What is a cerrado?
What country moved away from agriculture & began focusing on mining?
What natural resources are abundant in Latin America?
What mountain range in this region runs along the pacific coast?
What is largest river in the western hemisphere?
Where does the Amazon River begin & end?
What are llanos?
What are pampas?
What is the world’s highest uninterrupted water falls?
What desert is located in Latin America?
What is slash- and – burn farming?
Why was Panama chosen as the site to build a canal that connects the
Atlantic & Pacific Oceans?